Bleanies and Castles in the Clouds
by Smeagolia
Summary: Luna's a little odd, but Neville likes her anyway. Written for Muggle Jane.


**Congratulations to Muggle Jane for winning the Hunger Games Competition! This was written for you. :) I ended up only using one of the prompts you gave me, but I hope you like it.**

**The If You Dare Challenge- 504. Rain**

**Other prompts- Rain on the window**

**Please review!**

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"Luna?" Neville whispered hesitantly, twisting the fringe on his Gryffindor scarf around his finger until his circulation cut off. Luna jumped and whipped her head around, her blond hair swinging around her shoulders. Her dream-filled blue eyes lit up when she saw Neville.

"Oh, hello, Neville. You frightened me." She looked him up and down thoughtfully, and Neville blushed, even though he knew he had nothing to be embarrassed about. "What brings you to the library this fine afternoon?" She said finally.

Neville glanced out the window he had seen her gaze out of. Raindrops splattered against the glass, racing each other and leaving crystal trails in their wakes. The clouds refused to let any rays of sunlight through, and in the candlelit room, in the shadows of the towering bookcases, Neville could barely see Luna. The odd flash of lightning illuminated her face, making her eyes glow eerily. Rumbles of thunder made shivers go up his spine.

Most students had elected to spend the day in their dormitories, but something had drawn Neville here. Maybe it was the odd girl sitting in front of him.

"Nothing, really." Neville admitted finally. "What about you?"

Luna turned her gaze back towards the window. "The rain, I suppose. I like the rain."

Neville sat down next to her, his face heating up when their shoulders brushed. She watched the rain while he watched her, the way she was smiling absently, the way her eyes reflected the lightning, the way her hair smelt.

"My mother used to tell me stories about the rain, you know." She murmured almost to herself, her eyes still on the droplets that fell outside.

Neville looked down at his hands. He knew that Luna's mother had died when she was young, and in some sad way it made him feel even closer to her. He too had lost a mother, though not by death's hand.

"What kind of stories?" Neville asked quietly. Though he's never met Luna's parents, he'd always imagined that kind of like her, a little strange, but sweet and creative.

"She told me that there was a beautiful castle of crystallized rain and frozen lightning up in the clouds. She said that's where everyone goes once their time comes." Luna's eyes became glassy. "The castle is filled with everything you could ever want. It's – like heaven, I suppose."

She was quiet for a long time, and Neville shifted awkwardly in his seat. He felt like he was intruding on a personal moment, and he almost stood up to go. Luna's arm brushed up against his and she spoke again.

"The people in the castle watch the people down on the ground to make sure they're okay. My mother told me that you can't always tell, but someone is always keeping an eye on you, making sure you're happy. At first I thought that was kind of creepy, but I guess it's nice to know that you're never alone."

A roll of thunder rumbled outside, and Luna paused briefly to watch the lightning.

"Whenever they think you need their help, the people up there pour down the rain. The rain washes away all your problems and sadness and lets you start new again."

Neville watched the raindrops on the window absently. "I wonder who needed a fresh start this time." He wondered aloud.

Luna shrugged, and silence fell over them, broken only by the occasional clap of thunder. This time Neville felt like the moment was shared by both of them, not just Luna and the rain.

Neville's heart skipped a beat in surprise when Luna jumped up suddenly. "Neville! Hold still, I think I just saw a Bleany float into your head!"

She grabbed his arms and pressed her lips lightly to his. Neville barely had time to process what was happening before she pulled back. Luna's eyes were dancing and her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Sorry about that. The only way to free a Bleany is to kiss the victim." She said, and smiled shyly. Neville couldn't help but grin. He wasn't convinced that a Bleany had actually infected him, but he wasn't complaining.

He turned to look out the window, where the rain continued to pound the Hogwarts grounds. Somewhere up there in the sky was a castle nestled in the clouds, and Neville wondered if Luna's mother was up there, and if she had seen her daughter give him a kiss. He wondered what she thought of that.

Thunder rumbled once more, and to Neville it almost sounded like someone was laughing happily from up in the clouds.


End file.
